Damato (DD 871) - Naval Cruise Book

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eration Sea ragon Part Une 2 -15 September 1967 2 September 1967 Q 1254 opened fire on Thuy Tu Storage Area in company with USS BRUSH. Heavy black smoke and secondary explosions seen after firing. 1700 Received 103 rounds counter battery fire while firing at Canh Duong Xa Bridge Approach. ClOSeSt rounds bracketed ship at 50 yards while opening from target. Both ships returned fire. . 1900 Received 69 rounds counter battery fire 'while preparing to fire on My Duyet Ha Hwy Bridge. Closest rounds landed 20 yards from the bow and close aboard on the starboard side. Shrapnel was showered on deck. Opened fire on the gun site while retiring with several rounds falling in vicinity of gun flashes. 3 September 1967 0515 Fired at Dong Hoi Transfer Point. Three rounds counter battery received by BRUSH, closest landing 200 yards astern. 1400 Fired at Bivouac and Storage Area and taken under fire by coastal defense site. Took closest rounds close aboard with shrapnel on the decks. 1530 Fired at barges located in the mouth of the Kien Giang River, in company with USS MC KENZIE. Re- ceived counter battery fire with 86 rounds landing in vicinity of DAMATO. Shrapnel landed on decks. Nearest explosion 10 yards off the bow and 10 yards astern. In returning fire, scored direct hit on one gun. 2000 Fired at coastal defense sites with damage unobserved due to darkness.

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-. Mk., J-,, HL . , ' ..,,, , 4 September 1967 9499 Thfee waterborne l0giS'CiC Cfaff taken under fire. Two were sunk and one heavily damaged. Four second- ary explosions were observed. 9500 Fired at Huu Hau Causeway with MC KENZIE shooting primary, and DAMATO shotgun. Destroyed three coastal defense sites. 0900 Fired at Bivouac and.Storage Area. All shots landed on target, heavy smoke and flames reported. Taken under fire by shore batteries with closest rounds landing about 1000 yards from DAMATO. Returned fire, with five secondary explosions reported on the sites by spotter aircraft. 2000 Fired at Choke Foint in company with DE HAVEN. Large column of smoke observed against clear sky in vicinity of target with several secondary explosions seen after firing. Coastal defense sites taken under fire while clearing the area. 5 September 1967 0625 Fired at a transfer point, the location of several trucks. All rounds appeared to land on the target. Site heavily covered with smoke, and secondary explosions observed in the target area. 2100 Fired at Rhanh Yen Bridge Approach. A very large explosion was seen after firing. Secondary ex- plosions were seen on coastal defense sites. 2120 Fired at two logistic craft. Both sunk after direct hits. 6 September 1967 p 0025 Fired at logistic craft. Shots observed all around targets. Damage probable, but not certain as enemy craft merged into the beach. 0050 Fired at My Trung Causeway with damage unassessed due to darkness. 2130 Fired shotgun while DE HAVEN fired at Canh Duong Xa Highway Bridge Approach. Results unobserved due to darkness. I . . 2228 In vicinity of Dong Hoi, attacked by shore battery. Initial rounds landed close to ship, three within 150 yards. Due to poorfvisibility, no gun flashes observed and no counter battery initiated. 7 September 1967 0750 Fired shotgun while DE HAVEN fired at Hoang Le Highway Bridge. Four secondary explosions and one large fire were seen landing directly on coastal defense sites. 1025 Coastal defense site opened fire while DE HAVEN and DAMATO were supporting ROBISON's prose- cuting of a 40 foot barge near the mouth of the Song Cua River. Barge possibly damaged. 1058 Shore batteries on Hon Matt Island and Hon Nieu Island opened fire on DAMATO and ROBISON. Both returned fire with area completely covered by ships' fire causing direct damage or rock slides causing damage to sites. 59 water bursts counted from shore batteries. Closest round 100 yards from DAMATO. 2100 Fired at choke point with a large secondary explosion seen in the area ofthe target. Counter battery suspected but not confirmed. 8 September 1967 1309 Two large steel barges detected at mouth of Cua Ly Hoa River and taken under fire. Light damage re- ported but barges still intact. 2000 Fired shotgun for DE HAVEN unobserved. A 2130 Fired on six logistic craft with two sunk and one beached heavily damaged. 2325 Fired on two logistic craft off mouth of Song Dinh River, one sunk, one heavily damaged. 9 September 1967 0245 Fired on My Duyet Ha Highway Bridge Approach. Fires were observed in vicinity of target. 10 September 1967 . 0100 Fired at Hoa Binh Truck Park. Many craters observed in park, and site considered unusable. 1840 Fired at three groups of logistic craft in Kien Gi-ang River. Two were heavily damaged with three secondary explosions observed. I 2130 Concentration of four logistic craft taken under fire. Two were damaged, two sunk. 2255 Fired at My Trung Highway Bridge Approach. Results unobserved due to darkness. 11 September 1967 0100 Fired at a choke point and intersection point with no damage observed due to darkness. 1455 Fired at a partially submerged sampan. Target heavily damaged but failed to sink. 12 September 1967 0245 Fired at coastal defense sites while shotgun for DE HAVEN. Damage unobserved due to darkness. 1615 Fired at a choke point Croadl. Target appeared impassable after firing. Aircraft reported 502 of rounds on the target. Area covered with du st and smoke. 1740 Fired at ten logistic craft. Results unobserved due to heavy weather. 13 September 1967 0758 Fired at large logistic craft at Don Hoi. Took two direct hits in counter battery. 1340 Fired at coastal defense sites at Dong Hoi. One secondary explosion and one large fire observed. All details are on the following p e